What? ~ Mycovative is a small biotech startup run by molecular genetics and biotechnology student Ben Sharp. Mycovative is exploring the potential of fungi (mushrooms) as biomaterial in everything from packaging to building construction. Fungi can be grown in days and can be manipulated to be more foamy, light, dense or strong.
Place ~ www.mycovative.com.au
Who? ~ Ben Sharp founded Mycovative in March 2015; he is the sole operator of the business.
Quotations ~ "I want to show people the potential that fungi have as an alternative to many less efficient materials being used today, such as many wood and plastic-based products" -Ben Sharp
$ ~ The business has not sought funding, and is in the R&D concept-testing phase.
News/Market ~ Priorities include developing anti-bacterial textiles for use in hospitals, and exploring applications that plastic-eating fungi have in waste disposal. The engineered wood products market, such as MDF, particle board and plywood has an estimated value of $370 million to the Australian economy (FIAC, 2015). Such fungi materials can be grown in three-to-nine days. The goal is to make these biomaterials more scalable and as cost effective as possible while continuing to educate the public of the applicability of fungi over a range of products.
Mycovative launched is ranked #9 by startup date on BNiQ Startups List
https://www.businessnews.com.au/Company/Mycovative
